'04 Sport Truck & Truckin' Vegas Nats

Show 'N' Shine in Sin City

Following on the heels of the State 2 State Charity Cruise from los alamitos, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, was the Sport Truck & Truckin' Vegas Nats. After a long day of fun-filled stops and prize pick-ups, the welcoming glow of the Las Vegas lights proved to be a much-needed second wind for many of the participants.

Tourists weren't quite sure what to do with themselves as ground-scraping and sky-high trucks rolled off the main streets and down onto Freemont Street. The most common tourist reaction was to stare wide-eyed, pointing and whispering with their friends until the sounds of valves started popping and trucks began hitting the ground all around them, causing more than one unsuspecting tourist to jump back and drop their drinks.

Even before the truck owners had finished wiping down the road grime from their vehicles, crowds began to gather around several trucks, such as Jay Martinez's orange-on-black airbrushed and flamed '99 GMC as well as RBP's fleet of monster Fords. Whether you were into 'bags and body drops or big-inch lifts, the mix of trucks that lined Freemont Street and surrounded the casinos were bound to satisfy your craving for custom trucks.

If live entertainment was what you were looking for, the main stage hosted several acts, including the Tijuana Dogs, a cover band that had the entire crowd dancing in the street. Once the bands finished up their sets, the crowd was treated to a stage full of beauties for the bikini contest. Of all the Vegas vixens on stage, Nikki Zeno took home First Prize and Tylene Buck was selected as the runner-up.

Almost 40 other prizes were given away for the Mild, Semi, and Wild categories as well. Derek Dulster walked away with a First Place trophy in Fullsize Wild, while Jason Hill took home an incredible billet trophy from Kaik Products for Best of Show honors. Shawn Gibson got two nods for Best Engineered and Best Undercarriage for his towering truck.

There is no doubt that Las Vegas has proven to be one of the greatest spots to throw a show at. With the combination of trucks, casino lights, and all-night partying in true Vegas-style, it's hard to go wrong. To be a part of next year's show, contact Amber Pierce at (714) 939-2580, or shoot her an e-mail at amber.pierce@primedia.com. n